Thursday, December 20, 2012

Sometimes..and Puppy Comforts



Sometimes things happen for reasons we don't always understand at the time. There are families in Collies, and there are some families when I look at them they hit me deep somewhere I'll call my soul, it was like that the first picture I saw of Roma. Roma is special and I don't expect I'll ever have quite that face again after she's gone, Roma's daughter Halle I can see her face always, and my Keenie, everytime I see her picture I still can't stop crying... Someday it will happen. I was going to breed Inca and raise a litter, I thought I would need to do that to fall as deeply for another Collie as I was for Keyna. Before Keyna passed I found out about a litter of puppies, the dam of which I adored when I first saw her at 6 months, she is as close to my Roma as I have seen in the face and sweetness factor. I inquired about the litter and if there was a tri smooth girl, the picture above was the response I got. Those who know Roma can see the resemblence in the face in the background.

   But when the end came for Keyna, so fast ,I was so torn apart I told the breeder I just couldn't handle it. She waited a couple weeks and then sent me an email asking if I felt any better and did I want time to think about it. I thought I would go look, I needed a dose of puppy comfort, there would be other litters and I was still waiting for Inca to come into heat. In one day as I was preparing to go see the puppies I recieved news which was a deciding factor that I would not breed Inca, Then as I arrived and Maisey the puppy mama followed me and sat next to me being oh so sweet, and Collie. And puppies, so happy, lively and full of life, a needed elixer. I got to meet the sire and appreciate his temperament and virtues, And yes Ripple joined the Hylights family. She is a necessary life force full of puppy mischief and fun and has improved my outlook and allowed me to focus on the future. Welcome Ripple Effect!


Tuesday, November 27, 2012

My Sweet Wonderful baby girl

The saddest post of all, My dearest Keyna (Keena) was laid to rest on 11.24.2012 she was the best dog she could possibly be all of her 6 years, I can't think of any dog I've ever owned about whom I could say they never did anything wrong, but spent their whole life just trying to please . She never stole off a counter, never chewed anything she shouldn't or had an accident in the house. I adored her from the moment she was born and held her long after she was gone. I miss her a great deal. there is such an empty spot in my heart and beside me on the bed, the couch.... Yes Inca and Roma are trying hard to fill any void I feel.

Monday, October 15, 2012

The Summer on the Farm

Well it wasn't a very good summer. 10 days after Crackerjack went out on lease to a new home,
in mid July I came home to a 3 legged horse in distress, and found a nail in Ella's foot
The chances for her survival of this injury were quite slim, as infection in that joint would be an insurmountable problem. So 3 times a day for the first week I soaked her foot in epsom salts and betadine solution, packed it with sugardine and prayed. Then 4 more weeks of twice a day packing with sugardine and bandaging. She was on 2 antibiotics, and due to her ulcer history, cemetidine, also anti inflamatories, all which had to be mixed and syringed into her twice a day. I was in the barn from 430 am till 11pm and exhausted.
      As Ella improved my sweet Keyna stopped eating. I started each day cooking chicken for her and kept calling my vet, but as she had no fever, vomiting or diarrhea, and her abdomen was soft he said it was just because she was spoiled.


Well spoiled or not my girl was not well so we went to several other vets,
found a new practice for my pet care and some Vets who were compassionate.
Unfortunately through all the blood work repeated, ultrasounds 10 days apart the news wasn't good. Keyna had Lymphoma. Due to her MDR1 mutant status, she hadn't eaten much for 3 weeks now and was fading fast, I decided to go with just prednisone, I wanted her to feel good and have some more good time with her. I have now been cooking canine cuisine for 6 wonderful weeks :-) Keyna and I are trying to spend quality time together, we just hang out a lot as she is weak and needs lots of sleep, but she is happy. All the dogs are enjoying the special treats added to their dinners.


    My two little goaters did come home the end of july,
and Ella welcomed them ,she was happy to once again be part of a herd.



These 2 are getting very friendly, and very soft and wooly, Mocha/Kona has the softest cashmere quality under coat, while Latte has adorable soft mohair ringlets.

 And because she has her Championship it is now time for Inca to be the performance dog, she and I have started herding lessons.






Sunday, July 8, 2012

Cashmere Goats, just cool looking Goats.

Thursday, June 28, 2012

Goaties!





My new endeavor, Goatlings, I'm excited to be bringing them home, The first pic is Mocha, she is a dark chocolate brown, below with her dam Blue  an Oberhasli, her sire Logan is a red Angora. Blue is a great mother to triplets and a profuse milker, even feeding triplets she also is giving 1/2 gallon a day for cheese for the owners. They gave me some of her cherve with cranberries to try, it was nice and they said easy to make, Hmm I could see doing some of that... Below is a pic of Mocha next to her black sister,  Latte's dam is in the background. The second pic is Latte (also sired by Logan) with her brother behind her and again that black doeling from Blue. Latte is the youngest and smallest in the goat yard, but she seems to have a profuse coat so I'm hoping she'll be a fiber producer. Mocha could be a good milker and possibly have a cashmere like fiber that combs out. Both little Goaters have a lot of eating to do here at my place, I'm thinking it's even too much for 2 goats. I fell in love with Blue she is personality Plus! she also is uber friendly. I hope her babies will be nearly as friendly.



This is the little black doeling, out of Blue, I notice looking at my pictures she has managed to get herself in all of them, and her coat has a lot of wavyness to it...., I am thinking she really wants to come home with her sister too.
And this is a young Angora doe, I love her too, she followed me around and loved having her head rubbed. Maybe I will be able to afford one of these next year...

Sunday, June 24, 2012

Pool Time

Gritty, Derby and  Halle
Gritty splashes while Keyna drinks
Today is a good day to play in the pool!

Monday, April 16, 2012

And my three girls, on Sunday Keyna came out of retirement for the day, winning Reserve Winners Bitch to Inca's 4 pt major, she was so happy to go for the day. Inca finished with a third Major and 4th speciality win. and Roma was Best Veteran.
My wonderful Roma at 10 1/2 yrs old wins Best Opposite to Variety, repeating her BOS win at CCMe from 9 years earlier!

New Champion

From this playful pup to...

New Champion!